Crime Novels
This, the first Jack Scott mystery novel, was
published in the UK in 2005 by Robert Hale,
who continue to publish both the Jack Scott and
Penny Lane series.
Set in North Wales and Liverpool, the story includes
the disappearance of a knife-thrower who kills a girl
on stage, and a farmer's wife whose death looks
like an accident...
The second Jack Scott mystery, published in 2006,
has Scott, Sian Laidlaw and Calum Wick
investigating what appears to be a random killing.
A thief breaks into a private garage and steals a car
stereo. When a neighbour rushes out to apprehend
the man, he is stabbed to death. But is it a random
killing, or something much more complicated?
Jack Scott three, also published in 2006, concerns
the disappearance of two young boys. They are
never found. Twenty years later, Jack Scott and
his partners are called in when photographs of the
apparent abduction are sent to the father, now
a widower.
In the fourth Jack Scott mystery I come to the
familiar 'locked room' mystery format. Here, Joe
Creeney is caught by police when he is holding the
ladder he has apparently used to hang his wife. She
has been dead for mere seconds, and there is nobody
else in the house. Creeney's sister, Caroline
Spackman, is convinced her brother is innocent.
Enter Jack Scott...
An Evil Reflection was published in 2008, and moves
Scott and his fellow investigators to Scotland. A tragic
road smash that kills Bridie Button is either a terrible
accident, or the perfect crime. Jack Scott is called in
to investigate by sexagenarian Peggy McBride. He
soon discovers that one thing leads to another...
and then another... as the body count rises. 
Dying to Know You is the first Penny Lane mystery.
It was published by Robert Hale in 2008, and the
large print edition - shown here on the right - was
published later the same year by Thorpe (Ulverscroft).